Mixing valve



1951 M. F. M wlLLlAMs, JR 2,571,047

MIXING VALVE Filed Aug. 1, 1945 mmvron. Ammo/v1 Man 40mm,

BY W Arrvzwsvs.

valves of thetype adapted tocgn "merits, pressure ancl ternperatilrecentr Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED PATENT -;Mari n F. M eWi-ll iams, Jrfliqllyyvood, Calif. rADplieationAueust 1, 1945, alem. 508,261

gfi l iiiis; (01311565) :This invention relates genera-lly E0611}.

slon into Iamixing chamber of ii b t m er u or eem iee i r'qe eed hutselectively variable yplurnetrieT pro I, inbpdy'ing aisep aram co'ntrolfbr eregiulat ng the byya'riations in. pressure or temperat a or anyvofthe fluids to-heiniixed aretakenj ii to account in automaticallyTeffee'ting the adjustment pf the ,valves regulating the admissioniqfthe various fluids to assure the prqpertidno "'h thereof required tobtain the es'sefitial' uniformity in, r predetermined Variable flow ofth'e desired blend. The structural eomplexityilrid size of' practieal,embodinients f such prior -art mechanisms, as Wellas their cost ,0 mafa and distribution, prohibits heusehqlpl origther u t e fer the n quiment fe mth niatieal precision of eonstituent ;m easurements and nechanically-contrqlled uniferinity p'f the a en e a l- Itis a'princ'ipalobject, of the present. invention to provide a device embodyingmanuallytuated valvular means for controlling,.respective proportion ofliquids of different ternperatureier compqsition sup plied thereto pnderpressure re n difierezit sources, into ,a coinmoniehainher co .i r'i'--municable with a discharge.orifiee contrblled hy an independently oprabl va v by which th Y9 lr the 1 fl em n lin om 't wriii is re ulated.Anot er je i e m i n eta cas ng haviziega pai of inlet 'perts iortheiadiniss 1].,of iff r n l id t be m h pe t ei 0 trplled hyaei glevalve, operable in response to rqtary movement, to eqinc'identally varyly the flow q eh i r e neetiv w were? a eeins- 1 Mere specifically, an.object hereof to prqvide a symmetrical fixture ebmprisinga valvehq'clyha n a ba t oush hi nle p ssei es; tie uiqslsu n e r z n bu ee ten jieeinbination withl rla airpf separate e" ne nsides of a centrally lohersdisposed on opposite have cated mixing chaniherjand eontrqlled byhandleslocatedatieitherferid of a transverse b'o're within ppe ra te forcontrbllingthelfiow throughftiie se ilrce."

4 Another and highly important object islthe prbflsibhlpf ,a' jvalvedfixture er'nheclying mea'iis for variably aqjusting the total'fio'w 6ffi iidth 15ethrciugh for ejection from la'laterally-proje,

spout while maintaining thepreaeljusted and in- Other objects andadvantages such forexan ple as eeohorny of. manufacture .simplicity. ofo era tion, and particularly ease 9f adjustment 6f, the

valve elements" infiefiecting' the regulation. bfthe flowan'd eontrol ofthe blend of theliq'uiids ad:- mitted, theretp as well as compactnessandjsii's- Ieeptibil ity to 3 attractive appearance, will, be apparentfrp'manlexamination of the 01 10W11'1 g dsc'rieti gr ad injzt e i ht ofthe ,acclom an'ylne drawings'ihwhich:

Big. 1 is a side elevation ,of one ernhoqi nent of my inventiexiwhich isparticularly adapteglfpr n jurietiol iwithfliouseheld'wa ,Ist sinks andthe. like; V K

Fig.2 is a sec'tienal view taken on line ztz qf i w .l a. N v .t yIFigQB is a plan viewof the valve'ior centrelline" the blend "of thefluids and depicting in phantom, the) elongated ports communicated ith'thejseparate inlet passages, the [fiow through whic' centr olledihy thevalve; Fig 4 isga plan viewof a valve similar tO FigQB but illistratingjan adjustment in which'on exit is completelyiclosedand theotherruuye nerl; Fig, ,5 isa thirl planview of thevalve, illustra ins' anextreme a s me te' tl pppo' l e tb that" shown; Fig. 7 4.

.B fe ri' .e v numerals of which indicate throughout theseveral views, 6designates a; ef'rlerally cylindrical ,valve body comprising,preferehly,,-. g fi lne, he lin ,,a"fi nged' ba e brm' q. ie valve bod me i qele n pen theeclgeo'f a.wash basin,,sinkpr p t ,dr e ,more ete lfhthe likef riot shown). Integralwlthan'upper arc 9 h i rihe' b d 1laterally l i l iil spout ll, disposed symmetrically withfresbectjto thetransverse Central p a e bf the valve h qd'y. Theil qw passage '9,within spbut '8- is f oilset and areuate t6; communicate with one endfithe hore of valve bbdy 5 "and terminates at the outerend,

similar s t in a downwardly-directed discharge orifice I0, which, inaccordance with the normal disposition of the fixture, is located overthe basin or other container into which the water passing through thefixture is to be directed. The bore of valve body 6 is enlarged at eachend to form a pair of valve chambers II and I2 separated by a thicktransverse partition I3. Formed within partition I3 and communicatingwith each of the valve chambers I I and I2 is a cylindrical mixingchamber I4. Extending vertically in partition I3 on opposite sides,respectively, of the mixing chamber I4 is a pair of parallel inletpassages I5 opening at their lower ends through base I. Supply pipes I6and I1 for hot and cold water, respectively, or other fluids differingin their compositions are connected in the respective inlet passages I5by suitable fittings. Each inlet passage I5 is communicated with valvechamber II through an elongated port I8, flow through which iscontrolled by a circular rotary valve I9 hereinafter more in detaildescribed.

The valve chamber II opening through one side wall of valve body 6 iscircular and of uniform diameter from end to end to permit the insertiontherein, during assembly, of valve I9 which is of correspondingdiameter. The ,valve comprises a flat disk adapted to fit snugly withinthe cylindrical wall of chamber II, normally resting against partitionI3 defining the end of the valve chamber. Integral with valve I9 andextending concentrically out of valve chamber I I, is a stem 28 by whichthe valve is controlled. A retaining disk 2I encircling valve stem 20 atthe outer end of chamber. II comprises a central hub 22, recessed onopposite sides to form a packing box and a spring seat 23, respectively,and an annular rim, the periphery of which is threaded into valve body6. A helical spring 24 encircling stem 29 between the valve I9 andretaining disk 2I seats in the recess 23 provided therefor in the diskand bears against valve I9 to hold the samejin contiguous relation withthe end of the valve chamber in which the elongated ports I8 are formed.

. -The face of valve I9 which abuts against partition I3 is formed witha recess 25, one edge of which coincides with a diameter of the valveand is of a length substantially equal to the distance between the loweredge of one port I8 and the upper edge of the opposed port I8 of therespective inlet passages I5. The edge of recess 25 continues from theends of the diametrically-aligned edge arcuately on a radiussubstantially equal to the distance between the center of the valve andthe lower end of each of the symmetricallyarranged ports I8. Thus withvalve I9 disposed in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, i. e., withthe recess 25 registering with both ports I8, water or other liquidentering the respective inlet passages I5 is permitted to flow throughthe ports I8 and into the central mixing chamber I4 of valve body 6through the recess 25 of the valve.

A packing gland 26 threaded on hub 22 of retaining disk 2| is adapted tocompress packing 21 around valve stem 20 to obviate the emission fromthe casing of liquid from the inletpassages which may bypass valve I9and enter the chamber in back of the valve. The outermost end of valvestem 20 is square, as indicated at 28, to accommodate a cap 29 having acentral opening of corresponding size and shape. Cap 29 is retained inrigid relationship with valve stem 20 by a washer and screw assemblygenerally indicated by the numeral 30. A handle 3I, integral with andradially projecting from cap 29, is provided for transmitting rotarymotion through the cap and stem to valve I9 so as to vary the proportionof the liquids admitted from the respective inlet passages I5 into themixing chamber I4, as will appear.

The valve chamber I2 is formed with an arcuate wall, through one side ofwhich the discharge passage 9 is in open communication. Centrallylocated and at the bottom of the arcuate wall, an annular valve seat 32,circumscribing the opening into the mixing chamber I4, is formedintegral with partition I3 for a valve 33, about to be described. Acircular bonnet 34, threaded into the outer portion of the wall of valvechamber I2, is provided with concentric hubs 35 and 36 on either side.The bore within hub 35 is enlarged and formed with internal squarethreads 31 with which the external threads of a valve body 38 areadapted to engage to transmit axial movement to a valve 33 carried onthe end of valve body 38'incident to rotation of the latter. Integralwith valve body 38 and concentric therewith is stem 39 which projectsthrough the bore of hub 36 outwardly of valve chamber I2. The bore ofhub 36 is enlarged to accommodate packing 49 adapted to be compressed bya gland 4I threaded on hub 36. Rotary motion is transmitted to valve 39by means of an integral handle 42 and cap 43 of a design and sizecorresponding to the complementary parts at the opposite side of valvebody 6. To this end, the cap 43 is formed with a square opening toclosely fit the correspondingly-formed end 44 of valve stem 39. A screwand washer assembly, indicated by the numeral 45, is provided to holdthe cap 43 and stem 39 in the described operative relationship.

The operation of the fixture is briefly described asfollows: Anexamination and comparison of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrates the eifect ofrotative adjustment of valve I9. With the valve positioned asillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, approximate ly half of each elongated portI9 is exposed to recess 25 whereby, assuming that the fluids in therespective inlet ports I8 are under equal pressures, an equal amount offluid flows from each inlet into recess 25 and thence into the mixingchamber I4. Due to the relative disposition of the elongated ports I8with respect to valve I9 and the contour of recess 25 in the latter,depression of handle 3| is effective to turn the valve in acounter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, so asto shift recess 25 out of communication with the cold water port I8 andinto the position illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein the entire hot waterport I8 is registered with the recess. This adjustment, as a result 01'which only hot water will be admitted into the mixing chamber, will beindicated by the alignment of the legend Hot with the arrow delineatedin the forward upper arc of the valve body adjacent cap 29. Conversely,but in a similar manner, the flow of hot water into valve body 6 may becut off and the mixing chamber I4 opened to communication with the coldwater inlet passage I5 through recess 25 by the elevation of handle 3Iwhich is operative to shift valve I9 to the position illustrated in Fig.5.

It will be observed that due to the symmetrical arrangement of the inletports I8 with respect to the axis of valve I9 and the form of recess 25,the volume of the total flow admitted from the respective inlet openingsthroughout the operative range of movement of valve I9 from the pot itioiillu tr tedinFis t tha sshewnii flia wi b sub tant ally. ,pnstant. en.mvem ptao ar l in i .d req qn. ef eqt v t redu th A 5 of one tha rletpqrt lti no t m s -2. cr am eer es ml es nar i th co ipcs tere w- Thias mins equa t 'zi h tnres i r f. th liquids ;.s.u12r1. d s aae 5. th xlum cf their affected by theadjustment ef valve r33 el yati nniihandle lcha ns. ect v t .h- ,Slli J21 alv immit annularseei and .iperreit th 919 299 lfl o fi Q 1? illiirlii .thfl'QQi depending upon adjustrnegtpalvel9,,to flow matt ed reente :edtha the m a tqcnt r .Q Yalv Q11 ac tatthe mu at on; and ccord n. i1 o e s p ra fluidsifip li l tmk z fi$tl il5are then directed-underthe pressure of the fluid the i e saageae eitheth me? i t th discharge a a 9 a d-tram th erifi l pf ,the spout- 8.into' the basin or other container with which the fixture is partieutanly adapted to be a s ia e in the immediately preceding descriptionof the operation of the, device it is assumed that the pressure of thefluid directed intotheval-ve body 6 through the-respective inletpassages 15 mbe L issubstantially equal, it will be apparent from theforegoing that manual rotative ad jnstment of valve [9 is effective tocompensate for inequalities in the pressure of the respective fluids tobe mixed. If, for example, a particular blend of hot and cold water isdesirjed the pressure of the gold water is greater than that of the, hotwater, rotary movement of valve !9 in a counter-clockwise direction to aslightly greater extent that would be required if the pressures in therespective inlet passages were equal will adjust for th d fi reeq i lneses a pmduc a temperature in the total flowequal to the-tematu ul initem norma a m n of valve l9, as hereinabove described, where thepressures are equal. The operation of valve 33 is substantially the sameregardless of an variation or inequality in the pressure of therespective fluids, and difierences in the volume of the total flow fromthe mixing chamber M which occur as a result of a change in theadjustment of valve I9 where the pressures of the fluid in therespective inlet passages [5 are different, may, where important, beeasily compensated by slight readjustment of valve 33.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention,it will be understood that numerous changes in size, proportion, numberand desi n of the respective parts may be made in the interests ofeconomy or to conform more closely with the design of the fixture withwhich the unit is to be used, and, in particular, the size anddisposition of the inlet ports I8 may be varied to provide foradditional ports connected with sources of other fluids in order that adesired blend of several different fluids may be obtained, withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mixing valve, a generally circular valve body forming a mixingvalve chamber and a discharge valve chamber therein, a partition withinsaid valve body separating said valve chambers and having a pair ofinlet passages therein communicating with said mixing chamber through aflat wall thereof, a plate valve within said mixing w aeeeavalve to. a tthe att n said. Ra. .139W aesa eiih re niqqmm sat chamb r d sposedincontiguous; relationfwith said flat' wall to control flow frognsaid,inlet. passages intosaid mixinac amb hand edisposed. e te riorly Q saival erhodran tcp n e o aid 16H; aving.

chamb ith neaa i ena r ai ar e cham e fi g :9 emi 10r -;1 aid an? saiddischarge valve c amber through said flow pa and a an e di ii e i e iorlbf the partition having 'ports' itherein communicating said mixingvalve",chamberwithsaid inlet passages respectively, a mixing valve insaid mixing valve chamber in contact with said partition over:- lyingsaid ports and havin a recess therein re terable with said ports, saidpartition hay circular flow passage therethrough. communi t.- ing saiddischarge valve chamber with the recess in said mixing valve, means torotate saidvalve to register said recess with, ,selectively, either orboth of saidports and ,saidflow .pasage in said partition to communicate,one or @bp'th o f, .s id portswith said discharge valve chamber, jandlasecond valve, in; said discharge valve chamber'to control the flowthrough said last-named ch amber.

8. In a mixing valve,j a base, a generally cyling fi c lvel e bes b in ld s ha al sham ber and a mixing valve chamber at opposite ends thereof,a discharge spout extending laterally from said valve body intermediatethe ends vof the latter having a passage therethrough incpencommunication with said discharge valve chamber, a partition betweensaid valve chambershavmg a pair of inlet sa e herein a d? air f po v comu w in s i mix n lveehamher with said inlet passages,.respectively, apair of valves disposed in said valve chambers, respec-' tively, coaxialwith said valve body, valve stems connected to said valves,respectively, projecting from opposite ends of said valve body, handlesconnected to said valve stems and extending radially from the axis ofsaid valve chambers exteriorly of the valve body, said valves beingoperable, respectively, to control the proportion of fluids admittedinto said mixing valve chamber from said respective inlet passages, andto control the flow of fluid from said mixing valve chamber through saiddischarge valve chamber and spout.

4. In a mixing valve, a cylindrical valve body forming a valve chamberin one end thereof, one Wall of said chamber being flat, said valve bodyhaving a pair of inlet passages opening exteriorly through said valvebody and a pair of ports in said wall communicating said passages,respectively. with said valve chamber, a flat circular valve adapted toengage in contiguous relation said flat wall and having a recess thereinto register with approximately one-half of each of said ports, and meansto turn said valve to inversely vary the degree of registration of saidrecess with said ports respectively, the opposite end of said valve bodyforming a discharge chamber, said wall having an opening thereincommunicating said chambers, and a valve axially aligned with saidfirst-named valve controlling said opening.

5. In a mixing valve, a generally circular valve body forming inopposite ends thereof a mixing flow from said inlet passages into saidmixing" chamber, a handle disposed exteriorly of said valve body andconnected to said valve to actuate the latter, said wall having flowpassage means therein communicating said valve chambers with oneanother, a valve in said discharge chamber to .control admission offluid into said discharge valve chamber through said flow passage, ahandle disposed exteriorly of the valve body to actuate said last-namedvalve, and resilient means to urge said plate valve against said wall.1'6: In a mixing valve for hot and cold water, a1 generally cylindricalvalve body, a transverse wall dividing said body into a pair of valvechambers, means forming a mixing chamber in said wall between said valvechambers, said valve body having a discharge chamber therein, ajfpair ofinlet passages in said valve body for respective liquids to be mixed,means of communication between said inlet passages and said dischargechamber extending through said valve chambers and said mixing chamber, apair of opposed coaxially related valves disposed in said valvechambers, respectively, to control the flow from both of said inletpassages through said means of communication, a spout connected to saidvalve bod communicated with said discharge chamber, separatemanually-operable controls for said valves to vary the volume of theflow through said spout and determine the proportion of the flowadmitted through each of said inlet passages.

j 7. In a mixing valve for hot and cold water, a cylindrical valve body,a transverse wall in said valve body forming on opposite sides thereof apair of valve chambers, said wall having an opening therein communicatedwith both of said valve chambers, a pair of inlet passages in said valvebody normally communicated with said opening, a pair'of coaxiallyrelated valves disposed in said valve chambers, respectively,controlling the flow from said inlet passages through said opening, saidvalve body having a discharge chamber therein communicated with saidinlet passages through said valve chambers and said opening, a spoutconnected to said valve body communicated with said discharge chamber,separate manually-operable controls for said valves to vary the volumeof the flow through said spout and determine the proportion of the flowthrough each of said inlet passages.

8. In a mixing valve for liquids, a generally cylindrical valve bodyforming valve chambers in opposite ends thereof, a wall common to bothof said valve chambers, said valve body having a discharge chambertherein, separate inlet passages in said valve body, means ofcommunication between said inlet passages and said discharge chamberextending through said valve chambers and said wall, a pair of valvesdisposed in said valve chambers, respectively, controlling flow throughsaid means of communication, a spout connected to said dischargechamber, and separate controls for said valve to vary the volume of theflow from said inletpassages through said spout and variably determinethe proportion of the flow through each of said inlet passages.

MARION F. MCWILLIAMS, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 938,868 Hunter Nov. 2, 19091,336,236 Johnson Apr. 6, 1920 1,527,927 Schroder Feb. 24, 19251,856,380 Foster May 3, 1932

